Better Dig Two
by Gothic984
Summary: Mayor John's body is found the day after Lucas' birthday and Lucas has to deal with having an accomplice.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Full Circle.

It was a dull, dreary morning in Trinity South Carolina. A low mist befell the streets from the fireworks of the previous nights birthday celebrations and the Town was uncharacteristically deserted for this time on a Saturday morning.

Macy Thomson walked casually through the deserted streets, with her dog Pippa leading the way. Macy had missed the previous nights celebration and was enjoying the quiet aftermath of the event. Although she was a firm supporter of Sheriff Buck and everything he had done for their Town, she was too old and tired to be getting involved in such things.

She did appreciate the sentiment when the Sheriff's young wife invited the whole Town to celebrate his 50th birthday, that had certainly been unexpected. It had been a surprise when the Emory woman revealed his actual age the previous year and an even bigger surprise to find out she was pregnant with his child, after all the bad blood between the families.

Macy had been around when Grampa Emory was alive, that man had a darkness to him that was kept well hidden. She was all to familiar with the Emory's and their feud with the Buck's, the union that had now taken place was nothing anyone could have ever foreseen and she did not think Lucas Buck would have any issues with re-election for the foreseeable future.

Macy let out a small laugh and shook her head, that man was cunning and everything was working out in his favour as it always seemed to do. She had no problem with that, she had been in Trinity long enough to know how things worked and the best way to get through life here was to keep to yourself.

Pippa bound forward and the yank on the lead brought Macy out of her thoughts. She let out an angry yell when Pippa nearly caused her to fall over and pulled her back, in attempt to regain control. When Pippa started barking at the alleyway up ahead, Macy shook her head in irritation and dragged her dog towards the alleyway, to allow her to inspect it and be done with this unusual outburst. Macy watched as Pippa sniffed around the entrance to the shaded alleyway, then ran back towards her master. She was about to go on her way when a small break in the dull clouds overhead allowed some sunlight to illuminate the area and she caught a glimpse of something shiny deeper into the alleyway.

Macy started to move forward with Pippa at her side, unable to contain her intrigue. She wondered if someone had dropped something after having one too many drinks and thought she could take it to the Sheriff's Station if it was valuable, being a good Samaritan. Pippa let out a low growl, which caused Macy to give off an involuntary shiver. Pippa was usually a laid back well behaved dog, this behaviour was out of the ordinary and she put it down to the darkness that engulfed this part of the alleyway. When she reached the object that had been reflecting from the sun, she knelt down to pick it up; however, it was attached to a cold hand and Macy cursed out loud in surprise.

Macy let out a quiet laugh and shook her head at the drunken person who had clearly decided to sleep it off in the alleyway. She gave the body a gentle shake, in an attempt to wake the individual up; however, they remained still. She gave a hard shove, expecting to hear several curses, then felt a knot in her stomach when no sound came.

Macy stood up and glanced around the area nervously. She walked to the other side of the motionless body and kicked it into the small bit of light that shone into the alleyway. She let out a loud scream when she saw the lifeless body of the Mayor and ran away in horror, to find some help.

* * *

Lucas lay on the long couch in his Study, with Gail resting peacefully on his chest. They were both still in their costumes from the previous night after passing out on the couch, due to the high volume of alcohol they had both consumed at his birthday celebration. He let out a long groan and placed his hand on his forehead, when he attempted to open his eyes. He was unable to ignore the dull pounding ache in his head that would not let up and it was causing him concern. This was unusual for him, he did not suffer from hangovers no matter how much he drank and the incessant pounding was beginning to make him angry.

'Calm down love' Gail whispered soothingly, as she stroked the thick golden blonde chest hair peaking out of his half open shirt and moved carefully on top of him. She was not fully awake; however, she sensed his unease and knew it would only grow if she did not address it.

'Calm down? This feelin' is unbearable' he advised in pain and closed his eyes to drown out the natural morning light, in an attempt to ease the dull pounding in his head.

Gail smiled at his dramatic comment and opened her eyes, she peered down at him tiredly then stroked his head softly. 'It's not unbearable, Luke's childbirth was unbearable...Wait here and I'll get you something to help' she ordered sweetly, then carefully started to get up.

Lucas pulled her back down, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his head at the sudden movement and smiled when she automatically straddled him. 'I know somethin' that might help' he smiled seductively and ran his hands under her dress.

Gail let out an amused laugh and shook her head. 'I'm assuming that something requires a lot of work from me while you lay there comfortably nursing your wounded head?' she asked in mock scorn, then brought her lips to his for a long kiss.

Lucas tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head closer, allowing him to kiss her more forcefully. He could handle the throbbing pain in his head, providing she was riding him the way he liked and he reached further beneath her dress to squeeze her behind hard.

Gail pulled out of the kiss and slapped him playfully on the cheek, reading his thoughts. 'Maybe I'm in a delicate way too, did you ever consider that?' she asked and let out a surprised yell when he picked her up, then slammed her against the wall by the lit fireplace.

'Maybe your current delicate way is unacceptable and I should punish you for what you allowed last night' he smiled devilishly, as he pinned her against the wall and unzipped his pants.

'Maybe we both require punishment for what we did together last night' she advised unimpressed, as her mind travelled back to the previous nights activities, then wrapped her legs around his waist tight and let out a loud moan when he entered her forcefully.

The thought of her hand on his as they choked John together made Lucas forget about everything else around him but her. He began thrusting in and out of her and bit down hard on her neck when she tangled her fingers into his hair and pulled his head back forcefully. His desire for her intensified when his teeth broke her skin and he tasted her blood on his tongue. He pulled her away from the wall and placed her on the floor in front of the fireplace, then began pounding in and out of her as hard as he could. He sensed how much she was enjoying this treatment and could not get enough of her.

Gail ripped off his shirt and clawed at his chest, drawing blood. She dug her nails into his hips as he punished her and pulled his lips to hers when their climax came together. She bit down on his bottom lip with the intensity of her release and tasted his blood in her mouth. She continued to kiss him passionately, when a knock came on the door and they both let out a frustrated sigh.

'Leave it' she ordered and pulled his lips back down to hers, not ready for the emptiness she always felt when he pulled out of her.

Lucas had no intention of moving from the position they were in, he was nowhere near finished with her yet and the unwelcome disturbance at the door would just have to wait. When he heard slow footsteps and a crying Luke coming down the stairs, he cursed out loud and shook his head. He had been so distracted that he had not even considered the children being here and by the look of guilt on Gail's face, it was evident that she had also forgotten about their family.

Gail tensed and stared up at Lucas in horror when she heard their son's cries, then relaxed when he placed a soft reassuring kiss on her forehead.

'I'm on it' he informed her and stroked her cheek tenderly, then pulled out of her and made himself presentable as he walked to the foyer of their home. He smiled proudly when he saw Caleb in his pyjamas half asleep rocking a distressed Luke in his arms, then nodded his thanks towards him.

Caleb smiled at his Fathers gesture and let out a long yawn. He had been concerned when he discovered Luke was on his own in the master bedroom; however, seeing that Lucas was still in his costume from the previous night, he guessed both him and Gail had slept somewhere else. Usually that would be fine, as Luke was a heavy sleeper these days, it was just unfortunate that a hard knock on the door had disturbed them all and as they did not usually get visitors, he was curious as to who would be brave enough to bother them this early on a Saturday.

Lucas sensed Caleb's thoughts then smiled at his curiosity. He opened the door slightly to see Floyd standing nervously playing with his hands, Lucas narrowed his eyes at the man and looked at him expectantly, then let out a long sigh when he did not say anything. 'Well? What's so important that you had to disturb me and my family?' Lucas asked irritated and waited for Floyd to answer.

When Floyd froze under the pressure of Lucas' gaze, Ben opened the gate and slowly climbed the steps to the large black door. 'It's the Mayor Lucas' Ben said wearily, as he held his aching head and cursed himself for drinking so much the night before.

'What about the Mayor?' Gail asked, trying to remain calm as she opened the door wider and stood united beside her husband.

When Lucas wrapped his arm around Gail and signalled for them to disregard her profession, Ben prompted Floyd to tell them of Macy Thomson's discovery. Lucas had hoped that he would have longer to formulate a plan before John's body was discovered; however, it appeared he had been too distracted by his wife to attend to the matter that required his urgent attention.

He noticed the concern she feigned when Floyd informed them of Macy's statement and squeezed her hip to indicate that was the correct reaction for her to have. Considering this was all knew to her, she was acting in the appropriate fashion so not to arouse suspicion and he was proud of her ability to mould herself into whatever a situation required.

'I know you and Ben were takin' the whole weekend off due to your birthday celebration an all, but it's the Mayor Lucas and I didn't know what to do' Floyd advised, staring at his feet nervously.

Lucas turned to Ben, who was clearly hungover too and rolled his eyes in exasperation. 'I guess I'm comin' in' he sighed, then began to close the door.

'When?' Floyd asked frantically, in such a panic at the situation that he forgot his place. When Lucas shot him an angry stare, he took a step back and retreated behind Ben.

Gail sensed Lucas was about to lose control and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. 'He'll be in when he's in' she advised sweetly then signalled for Ben to follow them inside, sensing her friends delicate state and closed the door leaving Floyd outside.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail sat in her office at the Trinity Guardian, staring at the blank computer screen in front of her. She had not expected her first article after being on maternity to be about the death of the Mayor and she had hoped to ease herself back into things slowly. Clearly there was no time for that; therefore, she had put on a short brown skirt and white blouse when Lucas had left, in an attempt to look the part of the professional Reporter, even if she was carting along a baby to the office with her.

Luke sat happily in front of the large window of her office, staring at the world outside. Part of her envied his state of oblivion and wished for a life as simple as his. Although it was true that she had become accustomed to the darker side of life from an early age and craved the excitement it brought, she now wondered what it would be like to just be a Mother.

'Boring' Lucas said as he leaned against her closed office door, reading her mind.

Gail glanced up from the computer screen and bit her lip in irritation. 'I already serviced you today Sheriff, don't you think it's time you did what you promised and sorted this mess?' she asked, getting up from her seated position and perching on the front of her desk.

Lucas let out a small laugh and closed the blinds to the office. 'I am doin' my job ma'am, don't you worry about that. I just thought I'd take a detour to check on you before I visited the grievin' widow' he advised, then knelt down in front of her and ran his hands up the inside of her thigh.

Gail let out a slow breath, then laughed in disbelief. 'No detour is required Sheriff, I need to do my job and this isn't helping' she scolded.

'It's helpin' me' he smiled as he slowly pulled down her lace thong, amused at her attempt to remain serious.

'Lucas...' she started in a disapproving tone, then let out a loud moan when she felt his tongue between her legs.

Lucas laughed at her instant disregard of her anger and savoured the taste of her sweet spot. This was her first day back in work, which he disapproved of, and even though they were in the middle of a crisis he was determined to make her relax. He continued to play with his tongue then ran his fingers up her thigh and pushed two fingers gently inside of her, as he stood up carefully so not to release his hold on her. 'Scrap your thoughts of a normal life Gail, this is all you need' he whispered in her ear, then nipped at it teasingly.

Gail closed her eyes and let out a long breath, then pulled his lips to hers and kissed him passionately. When he pushed a third finger inside of her she whispered his name as the intense pleasure engulfed her and she buried her head into his neck when her climax burst through violently.

Lucas licked his lips, then took hold of her chin and brought her eyes to his. 'Don't you worry about this situation love, I got it all under control' he assured her, then placed a soft kiss on her lips and exited the office.

Gail stared in disbelief as he left her unravelled on the desk and cursed out loud at how easy it was for him to control her.

* * *

Lucas walked casually through the quiet hospital corridors drinking a large cup of coffee, attempting not to allow his frustration to show. Although the coffee appeared to be helping his incessant hangover, it did nothing to relieve his agitation over the current issue they faced.

Usually Lucas remained calm and collected in the wake of certain unplanned events. He had lost control a countless amount of times throughout his life and the aftermath never fazed him. This was his Town after all and he was allowed certain passes from time to time; however, upon sensing how anxious his love was after his visit with her, his usual confidence had began to waver and he did not like the feeling of uncertainty it was giving him.

A strange death in Trinity was a regular occurrence, it did not disrupt his routine no matter how involved he was; however, he was not used to having an accomplice, especially one as previously pure and with a high morality as his wife. Her involvement in this was causing his emotions to come into play, that was not something he had ever had to deal with and he was very aware that he had to be careful not to make any mistakes as a result of this.

Lucas nodded his thanks at all the happy birthday wishes he was getting from the people he passed in the corridors and tried to force his mind to focus. He was on his way to the morgue where Curtis would be, to ensure everything ran smoothly. All would be fine, Curtis was so far in his pocket that the man could not form an original thought if his life depended on it and he knew better than to step out of line.

Everything was going to work out exactly like it always did, Lucas had dealt with this type of thing a thousand times before and there had never been any comeback on him. He was Lucas Buck and no one would ever dare go against him or even suspect this was him, as he was the man with the star. Lucas let out a small laugh and ran his hand through his hair, if it was that easy then why did he feel so on edge? This feeling was new to him and he did not like it.

He gave himself a mental shake, took a deep breath then stood tall as he entered the morgue. He let out an agitated laugh when she saw Matt Crower surveying the body, while Curtis stood nervously in the corner and shook his head in irritation. 'You're a Coroner now Harvard?' he asked, trying to keep his emotions out of his tone and shot Curtis an unimpressed glance.

'Maybe I should be' Matt smiled, sensing his irritation. 'I'm the only Doctor sober after last nights celebration, including Curtis, so I've been called in to supervise the Mayor's autopsy'

Lucas walked around the autopsy table and stood opposite Matt. 'I thought you'd be breakin' in the new bed that my wife got for your young sweetheart...I know that's what I'd be doin' if I were you' he said smugly.

Matt hated the comments Lucas made about M; however, he knew better than to lose his cool, instead his curiosity spiked at the strange discomfort he was sensing radiating off of Lucas and he let the inappropriate comment go over his head. 'My sweetheart is all wrapped up in bed, were I'd love to be but unfortunately the dead don't give us a break' he stated and turned his attention towards Curtis, unsure why the man had not bothered to review the body.

Lucas sensed Matt's curiosity and realised he needed to take control now. Any other Doctor apart from his present company would not dare be so bold; however, Lucas could not insert his dominance over Matt like he would with everyone else, due to his relationship with Gail and that was going to cause a problem. 'John was a good man, it's such a shame his heart gave out on him so young...I guess it can happen to us all with the right amount of excitement'

'H..h..heart attack, y..yes that's right' Curtis stuttered and stared down at the floor nervously.

'There's no mention of any heart condition in his file' Matt stated and stared at Curtis, confused as to why the man had an opinion when he had not examined the body.

'Of course there is, you havin' one of those black outs again Doc'?' Lucas smiled devilishly and released his twin to do what was needed to bring this matter to a close.

Matt reached for the Mayor's chart and re-read the file, he shook his head when the heart condition was clearly noted on the second page. 'Deja Vu' Matt stated suspicious, then walked out of the room to check the original record on his computer.

'Lucas, I don't know if I can do this..' Curtis started, feeling himself begin to panic.

'Heart attack Curtis, that's your findings. Unless you wanna suffer one of your own that is' Lucas warned, then strolled out of the autopsy room and headed back towards his car.

* * *

Matt exited the taxi and stared up at the large house before him, he had been to the Mayor's mansion on an occasion or two; however, he had never taken the time to fully admire the beauty of the place.

He walked slowly down the long path leading up to the front door, admiring the well kept garden as he passed, then rang the doorbell and waited patiently; however, there was no sign of life from within the house. He rang the doorbell a few more times, knowing Mary was home as he had spoken to her on the telephone. When no answer came, he headed towards the back of the property and became concerned for the family.

As he entered the backyard he heard a large splash and rushed towards the noise, he let out a relieved sigh when he saw Caleb laughing in the pool with Josh and gave the boys a small wave then headed towards Mary, who was sat by the backdoor wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.

'It's amazing how a boy who lost everything can be so happy, isn't it?' Gail asked warmly, as she came out of the house and handed Mary a glass of white wine.

Matt stared at his friend confused, Mary had not informed him that she had company and he hoped Gail was not fishing for a story here. 'I don't think that's appropriate at this moment in time' Matt said disapprovingly, glancing at the glass of wine that Mary had already started to down.

Gail placed a reassuring hand on Mary's shoulder and squeezed it gently. 'Don't mind him, there's plenty more where that came from and you can have whatever you want' she advised, then sat down next to her and took a sip of her own glass of wine.

'Caleb does seem happy' Mary said quietly, still unable to comprehend that her husband was gone and she was now a single parent.

Matt let out a long sigh and stared at the boys, he could see the steam rising up from the heated pool and smiled as both boys began to splash water at each other. 'Caleb's a strong boy' he nodded.

'He lost his whole family, just like me and he's doing amazing' Gail smiled proudly, stroking Mary's arm reassuringly.

'Do you think he'll help Josh?' Mary asked, taking off her glasses to reveal her tearful puffy eyes.

'What do you think we're here for? Caleb's got Josh and you've got me, together we'll get through this but first you need to go get some rest' Gail ordered and signalled for Mary to head inside

Mary forced a smile, then got up and headed into the house obediently. After her visit earlier from the Sheriff and his Deputy, she welcomed the opportunity for some alone time.

'I needed to talk to her about her husband' Matt advised, sitting down next to his friend.

'You mean about his heart giving out on him?' Gail asked knowingly, as she took another sip of her wine.

'Your husband tell you that over breakfast in bed?' Matt asked suspiciously, unable to hide his distrust.

Gail turned towards him and shook her head slowly. 'When did our friendship breakdown Matt? You really believe I need to cheat my way to a story?'

Matt sensed the anger in her tone and his demeanor softened. 'Look, I just meant...'

'You meant to suggest that I'm whoring myself out to get inside information, that sum it up?' she asked bluntly.

Matt knew her well enough to know how to read her reactions and it was obvious he had misjudged the source of her information. 'This is a hard time Gail, the Mayor's dead from circumstances I don't actually believe...I'm sorry if I offended you, that wasn't my intention but there was a time before you got in bed with the Town Sheriff that you would have questioned a suspicious death' he stated, then watched her carefully.

Gail stared at him in disbelief, then let out an amused laugh. 'You don't think I'm questioning it? The man had bruises around his neck and the Coroner seems happy to rule this as a heart attack...I'm not stupid Matt' she snapped, then got up and walked towards the pool when she spotted Caleb watching them curiously. She gave him a playful wink and smiled when he appeared to go back to playing with Josh.

A wave of guilt came over Matt when he realised what he had insinuated and he got up to stand with his friend. 'Something's off here'

'I know, but we're going to find out what it is' Gail nodded reassuringly and linked her arm in his. She had not initially considered Matt would get involved in this until Mary mentioned his call and now he that was, they had to be careful.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Gail sat at the Coffee Shop opposite the Sheriff's Station, tapping her fingers on the table nervously. She had felt guilty about what had happened with Mayor John and hoped she could help Mary; however, the woman was just numb and although Caleb initially distracted Josh from the situation for a short time, reality soon came crashing down and Josh could not stop crying. It was then that she made the decision to bring her family here and allow her friend time to grieve.

Caleb had gone to the Sheriff's Station and left her with Luke, she was thankful for the time alone and needed to gather her thoughts. Lucas had told her not to worry; however, they were connected and she could sense his unease even though they were apart. She had never sensed his confidence falter before and feeling it now was causing a slow panic to build inside of her.

They had murdered a man, for no other reason than him offending them. John had been harmless, he would not have had the balls to act on his threats and that made their reaction to his insults all the more soul destroying.

She was attempting to keep her cool and trust her husband. Apparently cleaning up was what he did best, which was concerning in itself; however, he was off his game and she sensed her involvement in this was affecting his ability to think as clearly as he usually did. That was dangerous and she needed to do something.

Her Father's laughter pierced through her brain and forced her to close her eyes in frustration. She was not oblivious to the seriousness of the act she had committed and all she was concerned about right now was her husbands change in behaviour. She knew the incessant high pitched laughter in her ears was due to her morality being stripped away and she was falling deeper into the void. Her light was fading and it was becoming difficult to differentiate between right and wrong, she was starting to feel lost.

'That's why you have me' Merlyn smiled sweetly, as she pulled up a chair and sat down uninvited. When her cousins eyes remained closed, Merlyn stared at her concerned and placed a reassuring hand on hers. 'Gail?' she whispered quietly, suddenly concerned on what she had walked in on.

Gail opened her eyes when she felt the warm hand on hers and forced a smile. 'I'm alright, just demons I suppose' she advised honestly, then glanced down at Luke and stroked his forehead gently.

Merlyn heard the faint sound of laughter and looked around, she sensed something was lurking around her cousin but could not put her finger on it. 'We all suffer from demons, the trick is not to lie with them' she stated, unable to keep the judgement out of her tone.

'Too late' Gail sighed knowingly and took a large sip of her latte. 'What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in your new home'

'Matt got called out early and I thought I'd take this little one for a long walk' Merlyn smiled down as she picked up her new dog.

'She's too small to be walking long distances you know?' Gail asked, concerned for the puppy, then felt the sudden urge to look over her shoulder.

'I've carried her mostly, she does try to keep up though' Merlyn smiled, then followed Gail's eyes over her shoulder and her smile faded when she saw Lucas get out of his car.

Gail watched her husband intently, waiting for the inevitable moment when he sensed her presence. She wanted to go to him and find out what was happening; however, she could sense his unease from here and knew she needed to try not to interfer. When he turned towards her and blew her a kiss before entering the Sheriff's Station, she smiled to herself and her doubts of her depleting morality faded. This was the life she had chosen and she had to do whatever was required to protect her family.

'Mind if I join?' Selena asked, as she approached the pair and pulled up a chair.

'Why not?' Gail sighed, then turned towards Merlyn and signalled for her to leave.

Merlyn sensed the unease in her cousin and did not want to leave; however, when Gail shot her a look of warning she got up. 'I'm gonna wait by your car, I think I wanna spend some time with my family today' she stated, then left before Gail could protest.

Selena laughed as Gail shook her head in irritation, then picked up Gail's drink and brought it to her lips. 'Problems?' she asked smugly, whilst placing Gail's latte back down after taking a sip.

Gail stared at her with disdain, then let out a long breath. This was the last person she wanted to be with right now; however, something deep within her was forcing her to remain civilised. 'Nothing I can't handle, drink?' she asked, trying to distract herself from the current situation.

Selena stared at her suspiciously for a moment, then smiled and signalled for the waitress to get her a drink. If the lovely Mrs Buck wanted to play nice, she would happily revel in her discomfort and see where this led.

* * *

Lucas lay back comfortably on the chair in his office, squeezing the soft black stress ball that was one of the many birthday presents given to him by his love and waited impatiently for Curtis' call.

Gail had stated this ball was for when he felt himself losing control, as it would assist in helping him to keep his promise to her of being better. The thought of his promise made him laugh, considering what they had both done after that discussion; however, if he did not want his love to fly deeper off the rails than she already had previously, he would still give it a try for the sake of his family.

As he squeezed the ball in his hand, he focused on the movement to distract him from his current agitation. He continued to squeeze the ball for a few minutes, then stood up threw it hard against the glass window of his office door. The ball made a small thud when it connected with the glass and dropped to the floor, causing Lucas to let out a frustrated laugh.

Being cooped up in his office while Matt Crower dissected Curtis' report was not helping him keep his rage at bay; therefore, he stormed out of his office and towards the exit. When Ben went to call his name, he held up his hand in warning and left the Sheriff's Station, then took a deep breath as he closed his eyes.

The cool fresh air flowing through his lungs instantly released his tension. He opened his eyes and glanced in the direction of the Coffee Shop that he had last seen Gail, then let out a long breath when he spotted Selena sat on her own. A devilish smile came over his lips and he started walking down the street to get in her line of sight, thoughts of what torture would ensue flowing through his mind.

A murder of crows appeared above the Coffee Shop and circled their prey, Selena spotted Lucas instantly and cursed herself for remaining here when Gail had gone. Although Lucas was across the street, she could see his malicious smile and a knot formed in her stomach.

Without a second thought Selena got up, threw some money down on the table and rushed towards her car. She dived into the drivers side and slammed the car door shut, just as crows began to hurtle themselves at her one by one. She jumped in each instance that one crashed against the body work of her car and let out a scared cry when they began to hit her windscreen.

Selena had believed her punishment had stopped; however, the never ending thuds of the crows trying to get to her proved otherwise and she curled into a ball, letting out a high pitched scream when a crows beak pierced through her windscreen and died from it's efforts.

Lucas felt the familiar control flow through him, causing his previous unease and agitation to disappear. He watched as crow after crow attacked the yellow sports car and Selena screamed in fright. These were his animals and he felt connected to them. If they made their way in, he would not interfere with their blood lust.

He sensed the strength of her windscreen start to fade and his smile grew wider, the street was deserted and there was no-one to assist her this time. Her screams came louder when the windscreen finally broke and Lucas watched closely, curious as to how her end would come. As the crows crashed through the remnants of the windscreen, he heard her pained cries as they tore at her flesh. All his previous concerns had faded away and all that was left was a childlike curiosity as he watched his ex lover be torn apart.

Suddenly Gideon jumped on the car bonnet and ripped the crows out of the car. He stood dominantly between the crows and Selena then let out a loud bark, causing the crows to stay in the air and circle above his head. Lucas called out in frustration and shook his head at his loves interference. He knew better than to cause her mutt any harm, considering how she had reacted against his old friend Tony; therefore, he turned away from the sports car and headed towards his navy blue Crown Victoria, calling off the crows as he left.

Selena sat shaking in her car, staring in shock at the torn flesh on her arm. When Gideon crawled through the broken windscreen and sat on the seat beside her, she tensed; however, when the dog began licking her wounds carefully she let out a relieved sigh and began to laugh hysterically. She knew this dog and understood his presence here, Lucas would not take lightly to his game being interfered with and Selena knew exactly who she owed for the intervention.

* * *

Gail sat in the quiet park, watching Merlyn push Luke gently on a swing. Her cousins new dog was running excitedly around her ankles; however, Merlyn was focused intently on Luke.

Merlyn had refused to leave her side, claiming she wanted to spend time with her family. Gail had left Caleb in the Sheriff's Station and had informed Merlyn that she may be better suited spending time with her brother; however, she was adamant that she wanted to reconnect with her cousin. Underneath Merlyn's suspicion, Gail sensed her familiar longing to be accepted and she did not have the heart to turn her away.

Gail felt Lucas' presence close by and could sense his anger. Her thoughts of Merlyn were replaced by amusement at her husbands clear dissatisfaction, due to her interference in his game with Selena. When he appeared to her left and sat down beside her quietly, she placed a soft hand on his knee. She had no intention of allowing him to disturb the pleasant atmosphere and just continued to watch Merlyn with Luke.

Lucas' anger magnified as soon as he saw his love; however, when he glanced at his youngest son in the swing, a small smile came over his lips and this caused his anger to start to subside. He let out a loud sigh, then sat back on the bench and placed his arm around Gail's shoulder affectionately. 'You're infuriatin', you know that right?' he asked, not looking at her.

'And you're easily distracted, you need to focus' she stated calmly and ran her hand up the inside of his thigh slowly, in an attempt to shift his attention from his anger.

'I require loyalty' he advised seriously, choosing not to react to her teasing.

'And I require peace, I won't get that if you keep torturing women when you have more pressing things to deal with' she sighed.

'Firstly, you don't know what she did to warrant my torture and secondly, since when do you care what I do to Selena?' he asked confused.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'I honestly don't give a damn about what she did or does, she's not anywhere near important enough to be on my radar. Why is she on yours sweetheart?' Gail asked sweetly, with a hint of accusation in her tone.

Lucas sensed the trap in her sweet tone and let out an exasperated laugh, he knew better than to continue with this line of conversation and decided to change the subject. 'You'd get some peace if you only kept your best friend on a leash love' he snapped, finally turning towards her and showing his irritation.

'Oh you want me to get involved now?' Gail smiled, amused. 'I thought the almighty Lucas Buck had everything under control? What would your little wife know about anything but tending to your boys?'

Lucas let out a frustrated sigh and regarded her angrily, infuriated at her lack of respect for his authority. When she just continued to stare up at him defiantly, he grabbed her chin hard and kissed her forcefully. Gail attempted to pull away from his grasp; however, Lucas inserted his dominance and tightened his grip on her cheek, he would not release her until he was ready.

Gail felt an overwhelming urge to regain control; however, he was too strong. His lips were crushing hers and his fingers were like a clamp on her cheeks. She resented him for feeling the need to insert his dominance like this, it was not playing fair and the more he did it the more she wanted to defy him. As if reading her thoughts, his lips parted from hers and he stared down at her with a look of superiority.

'I told you I'd sort this out and I will. In the meantime, if I wanna vent my frustrations on someone deservin' of a punishment, you will keep out of it' he warned, then released his grip on her face and went to his son.

Gail inhaled deeply in irritation, then shook her head at a concerned Merlyn when she started to open her mouth to question her. She got up off the bench and walked towards her car, leaving Lucas with Merlyn and Luke. If he wanted to behave in such a manner and did not want her help, then so be it.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Matt sat in his office, sifting through archived copies of the Mayor's medical records. When he had finally been able to speak to Mary, she advised that John did not have a heart condition and his suspicions were confirmed. When he spoke to Gail, she pointed out that Mary's word was not sufficient enough to disprove the cause of death documented by Curtis, as John may not have told his wife about his condition so not to worry her. Matt had been inclined to agree with his friend; therefore, he had returned to his office to find some real evidence.

'You're takin' this a little personally ain't you Harvard?' Lucas asked amused, as he leaned casually against the closed office door with his arms crossed over his chest.

Matt looked up from the file he was reading, then narrowed his eyes at Lucas' sudden appearance. 'I'm sure you'll forgive me for wanting to corroborate the findings of a hungover Coroner Sheriff, especially when it involves the sudden unexpected death of the Mayor' he stated, then continued reviewing the file in front of him.

Lucas rolled his eyes and shook his head at the statement, then approached Matt and perched on the end of his desk. 'I'll forgive you, but that pretty little thing you're shackin' up with may not' he smiled, then nodded towards the Nurses station and took the file out of Matt's hands.

Matt forgot about the file at the mention of M and rushed towards the large window in his office. He could not contain his smile when he saw her holding Luke lovingly, as she introduced him to the Nurses.

'That one has been bored rotten sat with me and my boy for most of the day. Now, I'll keep her if you want Doc' but I think she'd prefer your company' Lucas smirked, then laughed when Matt shot him a look of disdain and walked back towards him.

'My involvement in this is bothering you, that makes me suspicious' Matt advised honestly, taking the file from Lucas and placing it in his top drawer.

'You bother me in general Harvard. This false tolerance we have for each other is beginnin' to grate on me and it ain't got nothin' to do with John' Lucas said with a hint of resentment in his tone, as he stood up and met Matt head on.

Matt stood tall defiantly and laughed. 'Or does it have everything to do with John and you're trying to throw me off the scent?' he asked suspiciously, not fazed by Lucas' attempt to dominate the situation.

Lucas felt his rage beginning to rise and took a deep breath to keep it under control. The last thing he needed was to lose control and harm Matt, that would result in consequences from his love that he did not want right now.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Gail had finally given herself over to him fully with the act they had performed together last night and he wanted it to remain that way; however, if he allowed this insubordination from Matt to continue, he ran the risk of an uprising in his town and that was unacceptable. His judgement was not as clear as it usually was to illuminate the right path here and he had to tread carefully.

'Busy Doctor?' Selena asked sweetly, as she watched amused as the men squared up to each other.

Lucas held Matt's gaze for a moment, then allowed himself to relax when Matt's demeanour softened as he addressed Selena.

'I didn't notice an appointment for you' Matt advised, then started looking through his calendar.

'It was a last minute thing, I had an ever so pressing situation after a freak murder of crows attacked me in my car' Selena shot Lucas a disapproving look.

Lucas stared at her in disbelief, utterly confused at her sudden appearance then spotted Merlyn signalling him and left the office to go to her.

'Gail just called, she said I need to get you back to the office right now so you can focus on somethin' important...She said it was urgent' Merlyn shrugged, then stared at Lucas.

Lucas glanced over his shoulder at Matt's office, then shook his head as Selena discreetly blew him a kiss and closed the blinds on the window. He let out a small laugh and took Luke carefully from Merlyn. 'Come on son, let's go see if we can track down your Momma' he smiled, then signalled for Merlyn to follow him.

* * *

Matt wandered the quiet streets after examining Selena's wounds and ensuring they were not infected, trying to make some sense of what was happening. Curtis had submitted his official report claiming the cause of death was a heart attack, there was a small mention of the bruises around John's neck; however, they had been glossed over and this clear cover up was making Matt feel sick to his stomach.

Matt had always tried to walk the straight and narrow, he had his trouble with alcohol when he was younger and had paid a heavy price for that; however, he had vowed not to be controlled by anything or anyone ever again and this situation felt like it was being controlled. At least previously he had been able to voice his concerns to his best friend, that ship had sailed now that she was married to the man he suspected of the cover up and it would not be fair to expect her to turn against her family.

'Talk to me then' Merlyn said, reading his thoughts as she sat on a bench he had just passed by and ignored her.

Matt stopped in his tracks, then turned around and saw M sat with her new puppy on a small bench. He stared at her confused, unsure how he had missed her and cursed himself for being so caught up in his conspiracy theory that he had blatantly ignored her. 'I'm so sorry for ignoring you' he apologised and knelt down to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

Merlyn ignored her puppy barking in an attempt to be noticed and caressed Matt's cheek tenderly. 'I've been so busy tryin' to figure out what's goin' on with my family that I didn't notice your pain. What's wrong?' she asked concerned, cursing herself for being distracted with Gail.

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'What's right?' he smiled wearily and rested his head on her lap.

Merlyn glanced down the street and spotted an old couple shaking their heads at the sight of an older man with a younger girl, then kissed his head softly and indicated for him to stand up with her. 'We're right, so what else is there?' she laughed, ignoring the judgemental couple and holding his hand as they walked down the street together.

'You heard about the Mayor?' Matt asked, allowing her presence to calm him.

'Who hasn't?' Merlyn shrugged and watched as her puppy sniffed everything they passed.

'I think he was murdered' Matt advised, glancing over his shoulder to ensure there was no one close.

Merlyn stopped for a moment, then continued walking so not to outwardly show anything was wrong. 'That's big' she said, turning the corner towards her new house.

Matt let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'I have no evidence...' he started.

'Your gut is good enough for me' Merlyn smiled, then thought for a moment. 'You tell Gail this?'

Matt laughed and stopped in front of her house. 'She knows, but it's not for me to talk to a member of the press' he shrugged, leaving out his real reasons for not talking to Gail.

Merlyn let out a long sigh, then stroked his chest gently. 'You go with your gut, to hell with what anyone else thinks or does. You're in a good position to expose the truth, it ain't your fault if the wrong people are involved...Now come on in, you headed out early this mornin' and I didn't get my usual wake up call' she teased, then dragged him into her new home.

* * *

Gail sat with her legs crossed, leaning back in the large chair behind the desk in Lucas' office. She had sensed her husbands conflict with Matt and had been lucky that Selena was in the vicinity in need of medical attention, after the stunt Lucas had pulled earlier.

Her husband was so out of sorts that his thoughts were not blocked as well as they usually were. Now that her Editor had officially tasked her to cover the story, this had to stop and Lucas had to focus on getting whatever he needed to done, so she could get back to her Goat Town project and a normal life.

'Who are you kiddin' Darlin'? You wouldn't survive in normal life' Lucas stated, as he entered his office casually and closed the door behind him.

'I'd take normal over whatever this is' Gail snapped, unable to hide her unease and closed her eyes in an attempt to remain calm as she lay further back in the chair.

Lucas sensed that this matter was really beginning to get to her and it only added to his agitation. He was not mad at her, far from it; however, her involvement in this was not helping and now that she was finally covering the article, he knew her integrity would start to come into play.

'Well before that happens, let me take both our minds off of it while I still can' Gail sighed and opened her eyes to him towering over her. She knelt down, unzipped his pants and took his manhood in his mouth, before he had a chance to realise what she was doing.

Lucas let out a surprised moan as her soft lips closed around him and laughed when he felt her smile. He glanced down at her and tangled his fingers in her hair, as he watched her devour him in the way she liked. An intense pleasure surged through him and his agitation disappeared as she continued to suck; however, the moment was short lived as the door to his office opened and he sat down instinctively, to hide what was occurring.

Gail shuffled back under the desk when the door opened suddenly and sensed Lucas' rage at being interrupted abruptly. When she heard the owner of the Trinity Guardians voice, she shook her head in irritation and listened carefully.

'John's dead Lucas, how could you let this happen?!' Trevor exclaimed, so caught up in his own emotions that he had not noticed the dark look in Lucas' eyes.

Lucas stared at Trevor in disbelief at the mans stupidity. Not only had he dared to barge into his office unannounced, the accusation in his tone was disrespectful and he would not tolerate this. Before Lucas had a chance to release his twin to deal with this insubordinate, he felt a soft hand on his knee and Gail's lips brushed against his manhood once again.

Gail ran her tongue slowly up his hard manhood and took him fully into her mouth. She dug her nails hard into his knee when he instinctively went to react and smiled when he placed his hand over his mouth to hide his moan. She pulled down his foreskin and nipped playfully at his tip while her boss continued to drone on about the terrible loss they had endured, then focused on her desired outcome and began to suck.

Lucas bit down on his fist and laughed, to disguise his enjoyment of the act. Trevor remained oblivious to what his star Reporter was doing, so self absorbed in his own voice; however, her reluctance to slow down would soon shine a light on their discreet activity and Lucas was struggling to keep his arousal hidden as it was.

As if sensing his thoughts, he felt her movements quicken and his climax started to rise within him. He instinctively grabbed her hair and yanked her back, then turned his attention towards Trevor. 'You've got 3 seconds to get out of my office before you end up like John. 1...' Lucas started.

Trevor stopped mid sentence and suddenly noticed the malice in Lucas' eyes. 'You can't just gloss over what's happened Lucas, there are rules...'

'2' Lucas interrupted and did not drop his intense stare.

Trevor looked at Lucas confused for a moment, then jumped up out of the seat and rushed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

'3' Gail smiled, as she looked up into her husbands eyes playfully then took him into her mouth again to finish what she had started.

Lucas lay back and let out a loud moan, now that they were alone. His climax started to build once more and he ran his fingers through Gail's hair as she continued to play devour him. When his intense orgasm hit, he called out her name as his release came in her mouth and felt his agitation disappear.

Gail swallowed hard, then stood up and straddled him on the chair. She smiled when he ran his thumb gently over her mouth to remove his excess moisture and kissed him passionately, before their troubles came to the forefront of their mind once again. 'Where's my son?' she asked, as she nipped at his bottom lip and rubbed her nose on his affectionately.

'With Ben and Caleb out front, I assumed we'd need some privacy' he whispered, then nuzzled his nose into her neck and nipped at it playfully.

'That we do' she laughed, then heard the office door open and tensed.

Lucas felt his rage rush to the service at being interrupted again and let out a long sigh. 'This better be good' he stated, then glanced around Gail to see Ben standing nervously with Curtis.

Gail discreetly returned Lucas' manhood securely inside his pants and zipped them up carefully. She placed a soft kiss on his lips, then gave him a look of warning when she sensed his anger was directed at Ben. 'Seen as I'm the Reporter covering this story, I suppose I better leave the officials to it' she smiled sweetly, then slapped Lucas playfully when he pinched her behind.

Lucas watched her leave, then stood up and ran his hand through his hair. 'Come on in boy's, let's get this done with' he advised, then sat back down at his desk ready to hear Curtis' full report in person.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Matt lay in bed with M resting on his chest, stroking her head softly. This whole situation was bothering him and he was beginning to get agitated just lying here; therefore, when he sensed M had dropped off, he carefully got out of the bed and got dressed. He could not lie about all day no matter how much he desired his present company, he needed to get to the bottom of Mayors death and M only caused him distraction.

Matt quietly crept down the stairs and put on his shoes, before opening the front door and causing Gail to jump as she was about to knock.

'Jesus!' Gail snapped in surprise and placed her hand on her chest, to calm her heavily beating heart.

Matt glanced behind him, to ensure M had not got up and carefully closed the front door. 'What are you doing here Gail?' he asked suspiciously.

'Checking in on my cousin and seeing if she wanted to help me investigate John's death. What are you doing here before the end of your shift?' she asked knowingly, feigning judgement.

Matt was about to make an excuse, then saw the amused look in his friends eyes and laughed. 'Never you mind' he smiled, then signalled for her to follow him down the garden path.

Gail smiled and linked her arm around Matt's as they walked towards her car. 'I hope you haven't tired her out too much, I was hoping for a different take on this' she lied and surveyed her friends reactions carefully.

Matt let out a long breath and ran his hands through his hair. 'It's me you should be worried about tiring out' he laughed, then leaned against Gail's car and stared at the large house in front of him. 'She loves this place you know?'

'I'm glad, I was hoping she would start finding her way with a house of her own and she could do without depending on a you so much. How are you holding up? I doubt Lucas has been overly inviting with the death of his friend the day after his birthday' she advised, trying to provide an excuse for her husbands behaviour.

Matt forced a smile, but could not hide his suspicion. 'It just doesn't make any sense, I know you feel it to' he stated, then watched as she shifted her feet and leaned on the car next to him.

'Nothing makes sense in Trinity and I'm looking at all angles here. You wouldn't be you if you backed down at a suspicious death Matt, that's what I've always liked about you' she sighed. She could not be mad at him for being who he was, she was the same when something bothered her.

Matt inhaled deeply, then put his arm around her and pulled her close. 'You don't think I'm going against you do you?' he asked, feeling a small pang of guilt at how reasonable she was being with him.

'For questioning a death where the Coroners report doesn't match up with the marks on the body? What do you think I'm doing?' she laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder.

'Were you with Lucas all night?' Matt asked, staring down at her curiously.

Gail sensed he was trying to monitor her reaction and stared up to meet his gaze. 'He never left my side at the party or at home...It was his 50th Birthday Matt, you think I got it any easier than you did with M last night?' she mocked knowingly.

Matt stared at her suspiciously for a moment, then laughed. She was right, he knew Lucas would have been taking advantage of his Birthday and what he could get her to do, just like M did with him. This situation was baffling; however, he was determined to find out why it had occurred and who was responsible.

'Come on, I'll drop you back at the hospital. I need to do some digging of my own anyway' she smiled, trying to appear neutral, then signalled for him to get in the car.

* * *

Lucas sat behind the large dark oak desk, drumming his fingers on the hard surface impatiently. It had been a tiring day for him, his plan had taken more effort than he had initially intended; however, he had finally started to think clearly and was impressed with his ability to follow through, regardless of what he had to give up to succeed. Now all he needed was Harvard to show up so they could get this thing done.

Matt walked down the long overly bright hospital corridor, laughing with Gail. When he reached his office he unlocked the door and held it open for her, then stopped in his tracks when he saw Lucas sat behind his desk. 'How the hell did you get in here?' he snapped, staring around his office suspiciously to see if anything was missing.

Gail shot Lucas a disapproving look, then held her head in her hands when her husband just gave her a smug smile.

Lucas sensed the suspicion in the air and got up from his seated position. 'A magician never gives up his tricks Doc'...How's that young thing of yours? I hope you weren't too hard on her' he winked knowingly, then let out a small laugh when he saw the anger in the man's eyes.

'That's my cousin you're referring to' Gail warned, unimpressed.

'And I bet she learnt from the best' he smiled devilishly, as he came up beside her and pulled her to him.

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment and glanced at Matt, who was seething as he scanned his desk for anything out of place. 'I thought you were doing your job sweetheart?' she asked sweetly, with a hint of agitation in her tone.

Lucas ran his hand down her back slowly and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, before leaning in close. 'You need to learn to trust the man with the star' he whispered in her ear amused, then turned his full attention towards Matt. 'I hear you've been wanderin' around tryin' to prove your conspiracy theories. Care to share them with an actual law official?' he asked sarcastically.

Matt turned towards Gail and shook his head in disappointment, believing she had double crossed him. Gail shot Matt a warning look that dared him to accuse her of talking to Lucas about him behind his back, then nodded when he gave her an apologetic look and decided to move to the corner of the office to allow the men hash this out.

'I've got nothing to say to you Sheriff and I don't need to explain myself to anybody' Matt stated defiantly and stood tall when Lucas closed the distance between them.

'So you're on an almighty pursuit of the truth, is that it? You wanna share your findings with us all?' Lucas asked, knowing Matt had nothing but circumstantial evidence at best.

Matt glanced at Gail, not wanting to cause her any upset and smiled she signalled for him to speak freely. 'You're hiding something, I know it and your Reporter wife knows it...The difference between her and me is I don't have to report to you at the end of each day' Matt said, disregarding the sharp intake of breath Gail took at his comment.

Lucas smiled at Matts candidness and shook his head. 'My wife doesn't report to anyone Harvard, least of all me or you for that matter. If she's suspicious of me at all, I guarantee you we've already hashed it out and made up in a spectacular fashion...You don't see anythin' but your closed minded vengeance for me lockin' you up in Juniper. Isn't that why you're cartin' around my Town tryin' to prove I'm guilty of somethin', when my alibi is standin' right over there?'

'It's true she's already given me your alibi and I don't buy it. There's something off here and you're at the centre of it all as usual' Matt snapped, ignoring Gail's presence.

'So your best friend's a liar, is that what you're sayin' Harvard? After all she's done for you I'd have thought you'd have the common courtesy to trust her. Truly I thought we were done with this paranoia, maybe your treatment needs to resume Doc' Lucas smirked.

Gail could not hide her smile at Lucas' underhanded way of turning everything around, she sensed his diversion tactic and could not believe Matt was falling for it. If this had been any other situation, his methods would have bothered her; however, she could not afford to be judgemental and it was actually amusing to watch him work.

'I didn't say she was a liar' Matt defensively, suddenly remembering Gail's presence in the room.

'Oh but that is what your sayin', loud and clear Doc'. You're livin' in her house rent free and you insult her like this? If I was her I'd be considerin' the nature of our friendship and whether it's even worth the effort' Lucas mocked, sensing his guilt and shot his love a playful wink.

Gail shook her head at the ease in which he trapped Matt, then walked towards her friend and placed a reassuring hand on his arm when she sensed his anxiety flare up. 'Well it's a good job I'm not you sweetheart. Matt does make a few good points about this situation though and even I can see the holes the initial Coroners report...The bruising on John's neck indicate a struggle Sheriff, care to comment?' Gail asked, playing the impartial Reporter and pulling out her tape recorder one queue.

Lucas sensed her play and his smile grew wider. 'You know, I noticed the same thing and I guess I just can't hide it anymore' he shrugged and watched amused as Gail's confident features turned cold.

Gail narrowed her eyes at Lucas, suddenly in a panic as to what he was talking about and could not form words to respond. Surely he was not going to admit what had truly transpired? That was not acceptable and she began to become concerned about what would happen to Matt if he did.

'Hide what?' Matt asked curiously, linking Gail's arm in his and pulling her to him protectively.

Lucas stared at them both seriously for a moment, then took a deep breath and opened the office door. 'The affair' he advised cunningly, then stepped out of the way to allow his guest to enter.

Gail watched in disbelief as Selena sauntered into the office and smiled smugly at them.

'Affair?' Matt asked shocked.

'That's right, it appears Miss Coombs knew John very well' Lucas smiled and signalled for her to talk.

'Well I didn't want to publicise it to the world, but we've been together for a while now' Selena lied and feigned upset for Matt.

'Oh really?' Gail laughed in disbelief.

Matt shot Gail a warning glance, then turned his attention back to Selena. 'What's this got to do with anything?' he asked, not knowing what to make of this all.

'I heard you were questioning the marks on John's neck and I would've come forward sooner, but I didn't want certain things to get published' Selena stated sweetly, then shot Gail a distrustful glance.

Matt looked at his friend, then signalled for her to leave. He was not in the habit of sharing personal details with the press and he would not allow her to get the inside scoop on his watch.

Gail let out an exasperated laugh, then shook her head in irritation and stormed out of the office when Matt's demeanour towards her changed. Before she got past the Nurses Station, she felt a hand on her arm and it yanked her back.

'Don't be like that love, certain sacrifices are required to aid with our little problem' Lucas whispered, sensing her irritation at Selena's involvement.

'Your ex is in there right now talking to the man who thinks you had some involvement with the Mayor's murder. Do you really think that was the right call?' she asked, annoyed that he had not included her in this decision.

'The right call is keepin' you outta this and lettin' me work. Can you trust me?' Lucas asked, as he stroked her cheek tenderly.

Gail shook her head in disbelief and let out a small laugh, before pulling her arm free and stepping away from his grasp. 'I'm going home, you enjoy trusting the woman who you made infertile' Gail snapped, then left him to clean this mess up by himself.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6

Lucas pulled up outside of Selena's house and turned off the engine, he was not happy that he had to include her in this matter; however, it was the easiest way to explain away the marks on John's neck and he knew deep down that she could not resist doing what he ordered. It was interesting to learn that she was still loyal to him, even after everything he had done to her for amusement. It was like having a loyal dog ready and waiting for whatever scraps you were willing to throw them.

Selena sat silently in the front passenger seat, knowing better than to interrupt her ex love when he was deep in thought. She had been surprised by his visit and had not dared to turn him down when he required her assistance. Now that it was done, she was left with the familiar empty feeling she had become accustomed to and did not want him to leave.

When Selena remained still by his side for several minutes, Lucas let out an amused cold laugh then leaned over her and opened the passenger side door. He sensed her need to be with him, her desperate desire to have any kind of contact with him was radiating off of her and it made him smile devilishly. There was something appealing about having someone so desperate to please you that he allowed her to remain with him for a few more moments, before turning the engine back on and preparing to drive away.

Selena sensed it was her time to go and got out of the car obediently. She leaned down and peered in the car at him, as she gathered up the courage to finally speak. 'Are we in the clear now?' she asked hopefully.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'Your deal was with my wife, not me Teacher. Just be thankful that you're still breathin'' he advised with malice in his tone, then signalled for her to close the car door.

Selena closed the passenger side door and backed up slowly, as the engine came to life and her love drove away. This was not how she had hoped this meeting would end; however, it was a start and she was just happy that she had come out of it unscathed.

* * *

Gail sat on the side porch swing, rocking Luke gently. She had been angry after leaving the hospital and she needed the company of her son to calm her down. Merlyn had showed up not long after she had returned home and sat on a chair beside her, with her puppy on her lap. Rocky lay peacefully at Gail's feet, while Gideon lay in a dark corner of the porch watching his Master protectively.

'Have thought of a name yet?' Gail asked curiously, attempting to forget about her irritations of the day and focus on her family.

'I was thinkin' Fluff, seen as she's all fluffy' Merlyn smiled happily, as she cuddled her new companion.

Gail smiled and shook her head. 'Well it's not very original but I can see where you're coming from'

'I thought you'd go with Ghost or Spirit, considerin' your past an all' Lucas advised, as he casually walked up the porch steps with a large bouquet of white roses in his hand and shot Merlyn a wink.

Gail remained in her seated position and did not acknowledge him, his voice made her rage rise to the surface and it was taking all of her strength not to let it engulf her.

Merlyn thought for a moment, then stood up and raised her puppy slightly above her head carefully. She smiled when she licked her nose affectionately and brought her back down to her chest. 'I can't believe I didn't think of that, Spirit she is' she laughed then leaned down and kissed Luke's forehead before leaving, sensing her presence was no longer required.

Gail waved at Merlyn as she left and glanced unimpressed at Lucas for interrupting their peaceful moment, then returned her attention to Luke. Her son wrapped his fingers in a strand of her hair and she tried to focus on his pure unadulterated love for her.

Lucas sensed her rage and how much she was attempting to focus on their son to keep it at bay. He placed the roses on the table in front of her, before sitting beside her on the porch swing and placing his arm around her. 'There's no need to be mad love, it's done. I told you to trust the man with the star' he smiled smugly and stroked Luke's head gently.

Gail let out an exasperated laugh and handed Luke over to him. It had been a challenging day to say the least and she was in no mood to pander to his superiority. She stood up and walked out into the dark garden before, ignoring Lucas' calls for her to return to him and just stared at the full moon above her, admiring the beauty of this clear southern night.

Lucas watched concerned as Gail slowly strolled to the back of the property, ignoring his orders to come back. When Caleb came out of the house to find out what the yelling was for, Lucas handed Luke to him gently and signalled for him to head inside in the warm before he started following Gail's path.

Gail felt a dark presence surround her as she walked deeper into the undisturbed parts of the property, the presence did not faze her and if anything she felt at ease here away from prying eyes. She started to walk the length of the back garden, running her fingers over the large fountain as she passed. Visions of John taking his last breath flooded through her brain and a strong urge to escape from her tainted life came over her. Before she had a chance to start running, she felt a strong hand grip the top of her arm and she was spun around.

Lucas had sensed her instinct to flee as soon as he entered the back garden and rushed to her to prevent the unwise action. When he turned her around roughly to face him, he could see the conflict in her eyes and knew her inner struggle was about to start. Before she had a chance to allow her virtue to take control, he slapped her hard across the cheek and watched patiently to see how she would react.

Gail felt herself becoming overwhelmed with visions of John; however, the feeling disappeared when she felt her husbands hand strike her cheek hard and it was replaced by anger. Suddenly her darkness found it's way in and engulfed her, an overwhelming feeling of power surged through her and she pulled herself free of his grasp, then shoved him hard to create some space.

Gail stared at Lucas defiantly for a moment, allowing her darkness to flow through her veins. She gave a wicked smile before turning around and continuing to walk deeper into the property, ignoring his obvious concern for her.

Lucas watched curiously as she turned away from him without saying so much as a word and started walking towards the woods at back of the property. He sensed her darkness had taken over and although that excited him, they had only just recovered from what transpired the last time his love lost control and the ease in which it took over her was not good.

He allowed her to get a few yards ahead of him, then began to follow her. He suspected she was drawn to the family plot and was ready for whatever she had in mind down there. When he reached the clearing and witnessed her disregarding the graves around her, he quickened his pace. This was the first time she had not stopped at the grave of her past self and he became concerned about her intentions.

Gail had become familiar with this area, the blank graves had always intrigued her and kept her attention; however, today she felt something else leading her. She decided to continue on past what she felt was familiar and explore the outer depths of the property, curious as to why she had not pushed past these boundaries sooner. She sensed Lucas pick up the pace and sped up herself, not wanting to allow him to take control. She had never been this far out and she felt a sudden urge to run free.

Gail glanced up again at the moon and stars, taking in their beauty and allowing them to wash away her frustrations. She was so focused on what was above that she did not realise her path had changed until her foot felt nothing below it. As she started to fall forward, she noticed the small riverbank and waves below. She closed her eyes, ready to engulf her; however, she was yanked back quickly and let out a relieved breath when she felt Lucas' hand come protectively over her stomach, as he held her tight against him.

Lucas had reached Gail just in time to prevent her from falling over the edge of the hill. She had never shown any desire to come out this far before; therefore, he had not felt the need to warn her of the steep drop where the path to his property ended. He sensed her pounding heart and held her securely to him, he would never allow her to leave him and his rage began to rise as he began to consider that had been her intention.

'You think I have a death wish?' Gail asked through quick breaths, reading his thoughts.

Lucas glanced over the edge at the crashing waves below them, unsure how the water had come so close to his property, then pulled her closer to his chest and edged back towards the family plot. 'I think you were walkin' with intent towards a sharp drop. Regardless of whether you have a death wish or not, I'd have expected you to use your brain and be more aware of your surroundings due to our son' he scolded, then threw her down on the ground towards the graves and ran his hand through his hair in agitation.

Gail watched as he paced up and down the area in frustration at her actions, then shook her head in disbelief at his judgement of her. 'You expect me to use my brain? I'm not the one who involved my ex in covering up the crime we both committed!' she yelled, standing up and dusting herself off.

Lucas let out an exasperated sigh, then turned towards her. 'Your supposed best friend wasn't lettin' this go Gail, no matter how much you tried to convince him you were on his side. You're new to this, I'm not and I didn't want this for you...not yet anyway. You're gonna have to learn to trust me if this is gonna work' he spoke slowly, as if talking to a young child.

Gail stared at him in wonder of his complete lack of understanding of how to talk to a woman appropriately in any situation. At times she found his naivety about women amusing, but not in this instance and his lack of understand grated on her. 'Firstly, I don't have to learn to do anything. This is the first and last time we are ever doing anything like this, do you understand?' she asked sternly.

Lucas sensed the rage within her rising again and assumed he had offended her somehow, so just nodded.

'Secondly, you being a self proclaimed expert and all, care to share how many times you have actually done this?' she asked, feeling her morality starting to chime in.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes and held her gaze. He sensed she was curious at his comment; however, her virtue was beginning to shine through and he was unsure whether she was ready for his honest answer. Rather than lie to her, he closed the distance between them and placed his hands on her hips gently. 'How did it feel?' he asked, disregarding her question.

Gail felt herself getting lost in those deep green eyes; however, she did not want to lose control and fought the sensation 'How did what feel?' she asked quietly, feigning ignorance.

Lucas smiled devilishly, then leaned in close. 'Squeezin' the life out of a man...condemning him to that dark void and watchin' as he took his last breath?' he asked in a soothing tone.

Gail sensed how excited he was and felt her darkness trying to regain control. Part of her was screaming to break this connection with him and run; however, another part was begging her to take him inside of her. Gail held his gaze for a moment longer, then backed away slightly. 'I feel like I'm being torn in two and I don't know what path to follow' she answered honestly.

Lucas watched as she backed up towards the drop again and took a few steps towards her. 'You follow the path that leads you to me and our son, isn't that what a Mother should do?' he asked, playing on her maternal instinct then smiled when she walked back towards him.

'It felt strange' she said honestly, giving in to her true desire and continuing to stare deep into his eyes. 'Watching the light fade from his eyes, it was damning and intriguing all at the same time'

Lucas took her hand in his and kissed it affectionately. 'You and I are the same, you're just not there yet' he smiled, then cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her passionately.

Gail savoured the taste of his tongue in her mouth and pulled his body to hers. She felt his hard manhood press against her and craved his touch.

Lucas pulled out of the embrace, then picked her up into his arms and began walking back towards the house. 'Come on, it's been a long day and I think we're both in need of some attention' he teased.

'What about Matt's suspicions about John?' she asked worried, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

'I told you, it's done. Now, I won't tolerate any name but mine coming out of your mouth for the remainder of the night Mrs Buck' he warned, then smiled when she slapped his face playfully and rested her head on his chest.

-The end-


End file.
